Cable clamp



1962 G. F. CLAYTON ET AL 3,058,185

CABLE CLAMP Filed May 7, 1959 60/200 f. CLAYTON 6440): L. Cm 770A WW flffOR/YEXS United States Patent 6 3,058,185 CABLE CLAMP Gordon F. Ciayton and Gladys L. Clayton, both of 803 Manonin Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Filed May 7, 1959, Ser. No. 811,586 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-135) This invention relates to clamps and more specifically to cable clamp structures.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved cable clamp having a curvilinear cable engaging face for respectively holding a cable in clamped relation.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved cable clam having a curvilinear face including a plurality of convex and concave portions for effectively securing a cable in clamped relation.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the cable clamp applied to a cable, parts of the clamp being broken away to better show the gripping relation of the curvilinear face and other parts indicated by dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the clamp with the cable shown in dotted lines; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the cable clamp applied to cable elements shown in section.

Referring now to the drawings, the cable clamp is designated generally and includes an elongated rigid body or base 11. The elongated rigid body or base 11 may be formed of forged or cast metallic material when the clamp is to be used on a conventional wire rope or metallic cable. In some instances, however, it is desirable to have a clamp formed of a material having nonmagnetic properties and it is contemplated that the novel clamp may be formed of a non-magnetic substance. It is also contemplated that this cable clamp may be formed of materials such as acid resistant plastics or the like.

Elongated base 11 includes a curvilinear face 12 extending the entire length thereof and which has a convex end portion 13 at the left and a convex end portion 14 at the right as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Curvilinea-r face 12 also includes an intermediate concave portion 15 at the left and an intermediate concave portion 16 at the right with an intermediate convex portion 17 located therebetween and co-linear with the two concave portions as also viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings. It will also be noted from the drawings that the longitudinal dimensions of each of the intermediate concave portions 15 and 16 respectively are greater than the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate convex portion 17. In the embodiment shown the longitudinal dimensions of each of the concave portions are approximately four times the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate convex portion 17. This relatively narrow intermediate convex portion 17 functions to impart a crimping effect or action when U- bolt members are tightened in place against the cable. The arc of curvature of each of the convexed end portions 13 and 14 respectively, and the intermediate convexed portion is substantially equal to the radius of the cable to be clamped. This particular are has been found to be desirable since smaller arcua-te convex surfaces tend to cause the cable to rupture and fail when subjected to great tension and compression stress loads while larger arcuate surfaces fail to provide an effective gripping surface.

Rigid base 11 is also provided with a pair of upstanding arms 18 positioned on opposite sides of convex end portion 13 and a pair of upstanding arms 19 positioned on 3,058,185 Patented Oct. 16,1962

opposite sides of convex end portion 14. Another pair of upstanding arms 20 are longitudinally spaced from arms 18 and 19 and are positioned on opposite sides of intermediate convex portion 17. Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the inner surfaces of the upstanding arms are inclined downwardly and inwardly and are convexly curved in a transverse direction. These arms serve to hold a cable in place against the cable engaging face 12 and also aid in the seating of the cable.

Rigid base '11 is also provided with laterally extending arcuate portions 21 positioned on either side of intermediate concave portion 15 and laterally extending arcuate portions 22 positioned on both sides of intermediate concave portion 16. Arcuate portions 21 and 22 are integral with base 11 and have openings 23 and 24 respectively formed therein for receiving a pair of U-bolts 25 and 26. U-bolt 25 has its ends threaded as at 25a to receive a pair of nuts 27 while U-bolt 26 has its ends threaded as at 26a to receive a pair of locking nuts 28. Referring now to FIG. 1 it will be seen that U-bolts 25 and 26 when positioned within their respective openings 23 and 24 respectively are disposed in vertical planes bisecting concave portions 15 and 16 respectively. Reference is now made to FIG. 2 wherein it will be noted that the curvilinear face 12 is corrugated to thereby define grooves and corrugations 29 for effectively nesting and holding a wire rope or cable in gripped relationship. The grooves shall be made in a manner whereby the corrugations will run in the direction of the rope strands thus insuring proper grip in the longitudinal direction with the rope remaining straight.

Each of the intermediate concave portions 15 and 16 respectively has a longitudinal dimension or length designated by line 30 substantially equal to twice the diameter of the cable to be clamped. This particular relationship permits a cable to be clamped evenly along the entire length of each of the intermediate concave portions. The are of curvature of each of the intermediate concave portions has a radius designated by line 31 substantially equal to four times the diameter of the cable to be clamped.

Cable clamps of the class described are commonly used in cable loops, in end-to-end connections and other cable joints where splicing is not feasible. When the clamps are used in the formation of cable loops, the U-bolts are positioned to bear against the dead end of the cable while the live end of the cable is clamped against the cable engaging face of the clamp as is well known in the art. Refering now to the drawings, it will be seen that U- bolts 25 and 26 are positioned to bear against the dead end or upper cable portion 32 while the live end or lower cable portion 33 is disposed in bearing relationship against the curvilinear face 12. Tightening of the nuts 27 and 28 causes the U-bolts to move towards the curvilinear face 12 to thereby compress the cable portion therebetween.

When the clamp is applied to superimposed cable portions as, for example, in a cable loop, the cable is compressed against a curvilinear face 12 at five distince pressure points which are the end convex portions, the intermediate concave portions directly beneath the U-bolts, and the intermediate convex portion. The relatively narrow intermediate convex portion imparts a crimping action upon the cable. Many of the conventional cable clamps terminate in sharp or knife-like edges which bite into or rupture the strands of the cable when the same is subjected to stress loads. The convex end portions of this cable clamp present rounded surfaces to thereby overcome this particular problem.

It will be seen from the preceding paragraphs that I have provided a novel and improved cable clamp structure having a uniquely constructed cable engaging face for effectively holding a cable in clamped relationship.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cable clamp comprising a rigid base having an elongate curvilinear face, said elongate face including a pair of intermediate concave portions and an arcuatelyshaped intermediate convex portion located between and cooperating with said concave portions, said elongate face terminating outwardly in arcuately-shaped convex end portions, said intermediate and end convex portion having their respective crests disposed in co-planar relation and said intermediate convex portions having a longitudinal dimension substantially less than one half the longitudinal dimension of either of said intermediate concave portions, said base including a plurality of longitudinallyspaced upstanding arms arranged on opposite sides of said face and defining opposed pairs each being disposed on 20 opposite sides of one of said convex portions, said base having arcuate portions extending laterally from opposite sides of each of said intermediate concave portions, each arcuate portion having an aperture therein, locking means for locking a cable in clamped relation against said curvilinear face including a pair of U-holts disposed within said openings and each lying within a plane extending sub stantially normal to the generalplane of the base and disposed equidistant from said intermediate convex portion and one of said convex portions, nuts cooperating with said U-bolts for retaining the same in clamped relation.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermediate concave portions are of substantially the same length and each of said intermediate and end convex portions are of substantially the same length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 261,296 Berger July 18, 1882 284,390 Curtis Sept. 4, 1883 1,002,893 Wood Sept. 12, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 331,797 Germany Jan. 14, 1921 585,674 Germany Oct. 7, 1933 601,283 Germany Mar. 26, 1935 115,815 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1918 

